Fear

My biggest setback in life has been fear. People see me as this strong tiny woman who can face anything, but the truth is that I am fearful of so many things. My fears have often caused me to not be successful in a lot of things that I could have easily been triumphant in. I realized that my fears lie in the fact that I was thinking of myself going up against these trials and not God.

“He’s with me but is he fighting for me?”

That was a very dangerous question to ask myself, but it was the truth. Life will always be too much for me because I wasn’t made to be my own defense nor lean on to my own understanding. I execute and react based on what I see but life is more than what I see and feel. I need God! He sees more than I do, he knows more than I do, and he is the only one who can give me peace amid turbulence.

I wanted to talk about the effects of fear, its triggers and how to deal with those triggers.

Outside of causing me to blunder; fear makes me hesitant. I have come to the realization that I have even become fearful of the anointing on my life because I know that there are higher heights and deeper depths. I know that deep calleth unto deep. Therefore, I am very aware of the cost of the oil. Great pain requires great sacrifice, and I am fearful of what those sacrifices might be knowing that I won’t know what better looks like until I get it. God makes us wait before he restores so that he knows we won’t see it as just an upgrade, but we’ll see it as a product of his sovereignty and grace. I cannot afford for fear to make me stuck. I had to find out the root of it all and turn to the one who has the solution.

For years I found ways to mask fear and when the fruit of it became evident. I found something or someone to hold responsible. I failed at being better because I was trying too hard to be better instead of looking to the one who makes all things better. I did everything I possibly could when it wasn’t my job in the first place to make things better. That is why I have a Savior! Of course, my problems will make me feel small and scared; but when I allow him to control what goes on in and around me, what would be bigger than me would automatically feel small because I am focused on the big undefeated champion that I have in my corner. So yes! My ways failed. I listened to a song that I knew was sure to make me feel more confident. I sought validation from people. I worked on my appearance in aim of it changing how I felt. I did all those things, but I didn’t look to God. I looked at my problems and disregarded the confidence that is found in trusting and knowing that God is with me and because he will not fail, I will not fail.

I beseech you! Please stop looking at your problems. When Jesus called Peter out to walk on water the secret behind the success of him doing something that seemed impossible was keeping his eyes on the savior. We know it was a scary environment. Waters were crashing and winds were blowing. Peter could hear the storm. He felt the raging water touch his skin and the winds probably blew his garment violently as a reminder that he was in the presence of trouble. Isn’t it mesmerizing? Peter was doing it. He stepped out and didn’t immediately start sinking but the moment he looked down trying to prove to himself that he was doing it, he started sinking. Keep your eyes on Jesus! I know you want to see yourself doing it but if you look at yourself surviving in trouble you will sink. Look to the one who keeps and sustains you in the midst of trouble. Keep your eyes on Jesus!

“Even though I walk through the valley of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me” – Psalm 23: 4

Faith conquers fear! Put your faith in God and not in other things and people. I promise you will see the fruit of believing and seeing him! Not your problems, see him! We lose faith when we try to gain control. We are called to control our reactions to life, but God is the one who can control life! The biggest opposition to faith isn’t doubt; it is control. So, I leave you by saying this, let no be your only response to fear. Look to God and don’t lose sight of him while he’s taking you through trouble. Keep your eyes on him.

PRAYER

Dear God,

I thank you for caring enough to address my fears and my uncertainty. You are my God and I choose to see you no matter how present my problems are. You are my present help in the midst of trouble. You are reliable and because you are with me, I will not fear. You are constant and you are faithful. I choose to see you! I no longer sing that I want to see you but because you are with me, I choose to see you! Thank you, God, for being mine.

Amen